"Father, I'm planning to never get married," Xiao Man teased.
"Even if you never marry, I can still provide for you!"
Xiao Man hugged Xiao Zhen's arm. "You just said you didn't need to rely on men, and now you want to rely on Father."
"Can Father be the same as others? Father providing for his daughter is only natural!" Xiao Zhen said with his neck stiffened. "What, I can't provide for you?"
"Yes, yes, of course!" Xiao Man said coquettishly. "Father not only has to provide for me, but also for the children I'll have, and their children."
"You never stop!" Xiao Zhen laughed and scolded. "You're already thinking about grandchildren."
"So, will you provide for them or not?"
"I will, no matter how many you have!"
The father and daughter burst into laughter. Qiu Tong stood on the covered walkway, watching their figures with a look of relief. "It's been a long time since I've seen the General and young lady like this."
"Yes, the General is often at the military camp, and when he returns, the young lady is either causing trouble or on her way to cause trouble. We truly haven't seen them like this in a long time," Yin Zhu agreed. "I wonder when they'll return to the General's mansion."
"I also hope we can return to the General's mansion soon. Staying in the palace makes me feel uneasy," Qiu Tong said, looking at Ying Xue, who was busy scattering something, with a hint of confusion. "What is Ying Xue doing?"
"Insect repellent powder. There have been quite a few mosquitoes and insects lately, so she said it's for repelling them," Yin Zhu explained. Qiu Tong was rather simple-minded, and some things were not suitable for her to know, to prevent her from revealing any clues.
As the sun began to set, Xiao Man looked at the sky. "Father, the palace gates will be locked soon, you should leave the palace and return to your residence."
"Yes, outside men are not allowed to stay overnight in the palace." Xiao Zhen was filled with worry. "I will find a way to get you out of the palace as soon as possible."
"Don't worry, Father, I'll take good care of myself."
To Xiao Zhen, the imperial palace was a den of temptations and dangers, a place where his precious daughter was surrounded by wolves. He was truly uneasy about leaving her there.
On the way out of the palace, Xiao Zhen felt a sense of unease, as if something were about to happen. As he reached the palace gate, he couldn't help but look back. Strange, the palace was so quiet tonight, unnervingly quiet.
As soon as he exited the palace gate, Xiao Zhen saw a figure waiting outside. He slowly walked forward. "Have you been waiting here all along?"
"General." Wen Mohan was always refined and polite. Even when furious, he wouldn't give anyone an excuse to fault him. Therefore, Xiao Zhen had always felt that Wen Mohan had inherited all the essence of Prime Minister Wen. Prime Minister Wen was an old fox, and this person was a young fox, with schemes that were countless and winding.
"How is Man'er?"
"She's doing well." They walked forward together, the coachman driving the carriage behind them.
"Knowing she's well, I can finally relax." Wen Mohan breathed a sigh of relief. "In a few more days, Man'er should be able to leave the palace."
Xiao Zhen nodded, his gaze falling on Wen Mohan. Previously, he and Prime Minister Wen had been mortal enemies, and he had most disdained Prime Minister Wen's scheming and slippery ways. Sometimes, he had to admit that Prime Minister Wen's indirect approach achieved twice the results with half the effort. Wen Mohan was even better than his predecessor.
"Young man Wen, if one day, Man'er were to become an enemy of the world, would you still stand by her side as you are now?"
Wen Mohan's steps faltered slightly. He couldn't help but look at Xiao Zhen, his heart filled with suspicion. Did Xiao Zhen know Xiao Man's true identity? It was plausible. After all, she was his beloved daughter, and she had been replaced by someone else. He must have sensed it long ago.
"Young man Wen, why aren't you answering?" Xiao Zhen's stern eyes were filled with authority, staring intently at Wen Mohan as if trying to see through his intentions.
Wen Mohan did not flinch but met Xiao Zhen's gaze calmly. "No matter what she becomes in the future, no matter what kind of person she becomes, in my heart, she is still her, and that will never change. If the world were to become her enemy, I would unhesitatingly stand by her side and become an enemy of the world."
Xiao Zhen withdrew his gaze. Wen Mohan's eyes were filled with determination. That cunning old fox, Prime Minister Wen, had actually produced a good son in this life!
"If standing with her would harm those you care about, would you still not change?"
"General, Man'er is your lifeline, and she is also my life," Wen Mohan said softly. "If anything happens to her, I will not live on."
Xiao Zhen's heart trembled. He seemed not to have expected Wen Mohan to value Xiao Man more than his own life. "Young man Wen, if one day, I meet with misfortune, can I entrust Man'er to you?"
Wen Mohan looked at Xiao Zhen in shock. He knew too well what it meant to entrust Xiao Man to him. This meant Xiao Zhen approved of him.
"Of course."
"Don't answer too quickly. Think carefully. Man'er is destined not to be like an ordinary woman, managing a household and raising children. Her path ahead is fraught with thorns and difficulties. If you decide to stand by her side, you will face countless unknown dangers, and you might even lose your life. Are you still willing?"
"I am willing."
Xiao Zhen smiled. "I didn't misjudge you, young man. You've passed my test, but with Man'er, you'll have to rely on yourself."
"General, please rest assured, I will do my utmost."
Xiao Zhen merely smiled. As long as Xiao Man's identity could be kept secret for another day, let it be. He had originally thought that Xiao Man would confirm with him upon learning her true identity, but he had underestimated his daughter. Even after learning her true identity, she still pretended not to know and continued to be the young lady.
However, those people might not be willing to let her go. Based on his understanding of that person, they would undoubtedly try their best to take her life. All he could do was protect her with all his might.
As night fell, rustling sounds echoed around the imperial palace. In the darkness, something seemed to be lurking. The entire imperial palace was eerily quiet, as if everything had fallen asleep with the arrival of night.
"Ouch." A patrolling guard cried out in surprise.
"What's wrong?"
"Something pricked me."
"Don't make a fuss. Stay alert, patrol carefully, and don't miss any suspicious spots."
In the cold palace, Consort Xian opened her eyes, a sinister smile curving her lips. "The show has begun. Who shall I start with? Let's begin with Chang Le Palace."
Dense scorpions swarmed out of the cold palace, heading straight for Chang Le Palace. Who would have thought that Consort Xian would use the cold palace as a hiding place for scorpions? Since she fell out of favor, she had been accumulating scorpions in the cold palace. Their sudden emergence made one's scalp tingle.
"Heavens, so many scorpions! Guards, hurry!" Cries of alarm from palace maids and eunuchs erupted from all directions!
Consort Xian seemed to turn a deaf ear, driving the scorpions in all directions. She would not let Xiao Man off the hook, and neither the Empress nor Consort De would escape unscathed!